1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to closed, gas-tight batteries comprised of one or more voltaic elements connected in series and/or parallel. The invention has particular utility in connection with nickel-cadmium storage batteries which contain voltaic elements designed in the manner of cells and containing electrodes, separators and electrolyte, which cells are inserted in a common, gas-tight and liquid-tight casing of electrically conductive material, preferably metal.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99
Electrical batteries of this kind are known in the greatest variety of forms and in particular in the form of round cells, as both primary batteries and storage batteries. In all known batteries of this kind there are special difficulties with respect to sealing the battery housing at the battery lid. In this regard, nickel-cadmium storage batteries present a special difficulty because the alkaline electrolyte therein used has, up to the present day, leaked through all the seals that were provided at the battery lid, either to a greater or a lesser degree in the course of time.
According to German patent application DE 35 05 558 Al, it has been attempted to provide some relief from this problem by giving the end cell which is located at the open side of the battery casing a lid comprising a metal face wall whose circumferential rim was molded into an annular sealing element. Located at this annular sealing element there was a separate sealing lip of the battery casing, intended to secure the battery lid by pressing firmly against it at its circumferential rim portion at the time of the closing of the battery casing. But despite this additional effort, no absolutely safe seal could be obtained in this way.
Another considerable drawback that was inherent in all batteries of the above mentioned type is the necessity for a costly assembly of the voltaic elements, both when assembling the various components involved and also when adding the electrolyte.
It is notable that such assembly of the voltaic elements into a common or single storage battery casing heretofore has caused considerable unsolvable difficulties especially in view of the necessity of giving all the assembled parts their proper positions and maintaining such proper positions in the assembly until the storage battery casing is closed.